What ‘big cats’ are native to North America?

Answers

There are four distinct types of ‘large cat’ typically found in North America. These four species have numerous subspecies and are found in different regions across the continent; however they all have similar, distinctively feline characteristics.

The cat above is a Black jaguar; Black cougars are also found in North America.

Black Panthers are not a specific species of large cat, but rather just a term used for any large cat with a melanistic color variation that makes its coat appear all black. These are common in large cats; in Africa, black panthers are leopards with black coats, in South and Central America, they are black jaguars and in North America, black panthers are all black cougars although there have been recent sightings of a black jaguar in Arizona.

One of the most common large cats in North America is the cougar, or mountain lion. Standing at about six feet long and weighing between 80 to 160 pounds, they are one of North America’s deadliest predators.

Bobcats, cougars, and lynx’s are the most common big cats in North America. All of these are not uncommon to see, as they are a part of the ecosystem. There are a couple of other cats such as the Jaguar and Ocelot that make some guest appearances in the far south of Texas and Mexico, but there is not a lot of habitat for them there.

Some of the most common large wild cats in the US, Canada, and Mexico include the cougar, bobcat, and lynx, which are fierce predators in their own rights. Other lesser known cats include pumas, ocelots and jaguars in the southern areas of the continent. As far as interactions with humans go, these large cats usually try to stay away from large populations, but can be dangerous in close proximity. Most reports of attacks or sightings have been single cats that wander into urban areas in search of food. I’ have always been told when facing a potential threat from a large cat, make yourself seem fierce and larger to scare it away; of course, if you can avoid contact with the animal, call Animal Control and stay indoors.